Sir Alex Ferguson had been revealed as the Ryder Cup’s not so secret weapon, with the former Manchester United manager sworn in to address Paul McGinley’s players at the Gleneagles Hotel on Tuesday evening.

Speaking of his former manager's motivational techniques in his weekly column for The Independent, Scholes said the following:

"I listened to Sir Alex Ferguson’s team talks for my whole playing career – England aside – and I know that there was never a time that I went out on to the pitch unprepared or in any doubt as to the responsibility of playing for Manchester United."

"When Rory McIlroy talks about being absorbed by what my old boss told Europe’s Ryder Cup team on Tuesday, I know what he means. For 19 years, the manager always surprised us. He always kept us on our toes."

"He had an ability to make even the smaller games – the early rounds of the FA Cup, the league games against lower-placed sides – feel like the World Cup final. He got inside your head. He got you going."

Sir Alex's departure has certainly rocked the boat at Old Trafford, and following David Moyes' turbulent spell in charge, former Netherlands head coach Louis Van Gaal is suffering similar difficulties.

Besides the club's poor league form, the recent 4-0 defeat at the hands of Football League minnows MK Dons is enough evidence to suggest the the Red Devils are lacking the killer instinct installed by Ferguson during his lengthy period in charge.

"Sometimes he would get stuck into an individual before a game. It might be over something that had happened in a previous match. He would talk about the opposition. He always told you something new."

"I always thought as a player, if you needed motivating to play for Manchester United then you had a problem. I am sure the Ryder Cup lads feel the same way. But after they listened to Sir Alex they will have a few useful extra things in their head for this week."

Chris Linnell

Chris is a freelance football writer from Wiltshire, England. He is currently studying Modern History and Politics at the University of Liverpool. He has written for various other sites, including the Boot Room and Bleacher Report. His work has also featured on Eurosport.